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Aṅguttara Nikāya - The Numerical Discourses

10: The Book of the Tens

X. With Upāli — AN 10.91: Pleasure Seekers

1At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. Then the householder Anāthapiṇḍika went up to the Buddha, bowed, and sat down to one side. Seated to one side, the Buddha said to the householder Anāthapiṇḍika:

2“These ten pleasure seekers are found in the world. What ten?

First, a pleasure seeker seeks wealth using illegitimate, coercive means. They don’t make themselves happy and pleased, nor share it and make merit.

3Next, a pleasure seeker seeks wealth using illegitimate, coercive means. They make themselves happy and pleased, but don’t share it and make merit.

4Next, a pleasure seeker seeks wealth using illegitimate, coercive means. They make themselves happy and pleased, and they share it and make merit.

5Next, a pleasure seeker seeks wealth using means both legitimate and illegitimate, and coercive and non-coercive. They don’t make themselves happy and pleased, nor share it and make merit.

6Next, a pleasure seeker seeks wealth using means both legitimate and illegitimate, and coercive and non-coercive. They make themselves happy and pleased, but don't share it and make merit.

7Next, a pleasure seeker seeks wealth using means both legitimate and illegitimate, and coercive and non-coercive. They make themselves happy and pleased, and they share it and make merit.

8Next, a pleasure seeker seeks wealth using legitimate, non-coercive means. They don’t make themselves happy and pleased, nor share it and make merit.

9Next, a pleasure seeker seeks wealth using legitimate, non-coercive means. They make themselves happy and pleased, but don’t share it and make merit.

10Next, a pleasure seeker seeks wealth using legitimate, non-coercive means. They make themselves happy and pleased, and they share it and make merit. But they enjoy that wealth tied, infatuated, attached, blind to the drawbacks, and not understanding the escape.

11Next, a pleasure seeker seeks wealth using legitimate, non-coercive means. They make themselves happy and pleased, and they share it and make merit. And they enjoy that wealth untied, uninfatuated, unattached, seeing the drawbacks, and understanding the escape.

12Now, consider the pleasure seeker who seeks wealth using illegitimate, coercive means, and who doesn’t make themselves happy and pleased, nor share it and make merit. They may be criticized on three grounds. They seek for wealth using illegitimate, coercive means. This is the first ground for criticism. They don’t make themselves happy and pleased. This is the second ground for criticism. They don’t share it and make merit. This is the third ground for criticism. This pleasure seeker may be criticized on these three grounds.

13Now, consider the pleasure seeker who seeks wealth using illegitimate, coercive means, and who makes themselves happy and pleased, but doesn’t share it and make merit. They may be criticized on two grounds, and praised on one. They seek for wealth using illegitimate, coercive means. This is the first ground for criticism. They make themselves happy and pleased. This is the one ground for praise. They don’t share it and make merit. This is the second ground for criticism. This pleasure seeker may be criticized on these two grounds, and praised on this one.

14Now, consider the pleasure seeker who seeks wealth using illegitimate, coercive means, and who makes themselves happy and pleased, and shares it and makes merit. They may be criticized on one ground, and praised on two. They seek for wealth using illegitimate, coercive means. This is the one ground for criticism. They make themselves happy and pleased. This is the first ground for praise. They share it and make merit. This is the second ground for praise. This pleasure seeker may be criticized on this one ground, and praised on these two.

15Now, consider the pleasure seeker who seeks wealth using means both legitimate and illegitimate, and coercive and non-coercive, and who doesn’t make themselves happy and pleased, nor share it and make merit. They may be praised on one ground, and criticized on three. They seek for wealth using legitimate, non-coercive means. This is the one ground for praise. They seek for wealth using illegitimate, coercive means. This is the first ground for criticism. They don’t make themselves happy and pleased. This is the second ground for criticism. They don’t share it and make merit. This is the third ground for criticism. This pleasure seeker may be praised on this one ground, and criticized on these three.

16Now, consider the pleasure seeker who seeks wealth using means both legitimate and illegitimate, and coercive and non-coercive, and who makes themselves happy and pleased, but doesn’t share it and make merit. They may be praised on two grounds, and criticized on two. They seek for wealth using legitimate, non-coercive means. This is the first ground for praise. They seek for wealth using illegitimate, coercive means. This is the first ground for criticism. They make themselves happy and pleased. This is the second ground for praise. They don’t share it and make merit. This is the second ground for criticism. This pleasure seeker may be praised on these two grounds, and criticized on these two.

17Now, consider the pleasure seeker who seeks wealth using means both legitimate and illegitimate, and coercive and non-coercive, and who makes themselves happy and pleased, and shares it and make merit. They may be praised on three grounds, and criticized on one. They seek for wealth using legitimate, non-coercive means. This is the first ground for praise. They seek for wealth using illegitimate, coercive means. This is the one ground for criticism. They make themselves happy and pleased. This is the second ground for praise. They share it and make merit. This is the third ground for praise. This pleasure seeker may be praised on these three grounds, and criticized on this one.

18Now, consider the pleasure seeker who seeks wealth using legitimate, non-coercive means, and who doesn’t make themselves happy and pleased, nor share it and make merit. They may be praised on one ground and criticized on two. They seek for wealth using legitimate, non-coercive means. This is the one ground for praise. They don’t make themselves happy and pleased. This is the first ground for criticism. They don’t share it and make merit. This is the second ground for criticism. This pleasure seeker may be praised on this one ground, and criticized on these two.

19Now, consider the pleasure seeker who seeks wealth using legitimate, non-coercive means, and who makes themselves happy and pleased, but doesn’t share it and make merit. They may be praised on two grounds and criticized on one. They seek for wealth using legitimate, non-coercive means. This is the first ground for praise. They make themselves happy and pleased. This is the second ground for praise. They don’t share it and make merit. This is the one ground for criticism. This pleasure seeker may be praised on these two grounds, and criticized on this one.

20Now, consider the pleasure seeker who seeks wealth using legitimate, non-coercive means, and who makes themselves happy and pleased, and shares it and makes merit. But they enjoy that wealth tied, infatuated, attached, blind to the drawbacks, and not understanding the escape. They may be praised on three grounds and criticized on one. They seek for wealth using legitimate, non-coercive means. This is the first ground for praise. They make themselves happy and pleased. This is the second ground for praise. They share it and make merit. This is the third ground for praise. They enjoy that wealth tied, infatuated, attached, blind to the drawbacks, and not understanding the escape. This is the one ground for criticism. This pleasure seeker may be praised on these three grounds, and criticized on this one.

21Now, consider the pleasure seeker who seeks wealth using legitimate, non-coercive means, and who makes themselves happy and pleased, and shares it and makes merit. And they enjoy that wealth untied, uninfatuated, unattached, seeing the drawbacks, and understanding the escape. They may be praised on four grounds. They seek for wealth using legitimate, non-coercive means. This is the first ground for praise. They make themselves happy and pleased. This is the second ground for praise. They share it and make merit. This is the third ground for praise. They enjoy that wealth untied, uninfatuated, unattached, seeing the drawbacks, and understanding the escape. This is the fourth ground for praise. This pleasure seeker may be praised on these four grounds.

22These are the ten pleasure seekers found in the world. The pleasure seeker who seeks wealth using legitimate, non-coercive means, who makes themselves happy and pleased, and shares it and makes merit, and who uses that wealth untied, uninfatuated, unattached, seeing the drawbacks, and understanding the escape is the foremost, best, chief, highest, and finest of the ten. From a cow comes milk, from milk comes curds, from curds come butter, from butter comes ghee, and from ghee comes cream of ghee. And the cream of ghee is said to be the best of these.


23In the same way, the pleasure seeker who seeks wealth using legitimate, non-coercive means, who makes themselves happy and pleased, and shares it and makes merit, and who uses that wealth untied, uninfatuated, unattached, seeing the drawbacks, and understanding the escape is the foremost, best, chief, highest, and finest of the ten.”

1Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme. Atha kho anāthapiṇḍiko gahapati yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinnaṁ kho anāthapiṇḍikaṁ gahapatiṁ bhagavā etadavoca: 

2"Dasayime, gahapati, kāmabhogī santo saṁvijjamānā lokasmiṁ. Katame dasa?

Idha, gahapati, ekacco kāmabhogī adhammena bhoge pariyesati sāhasena; adhammena bhoge pariyesitvā sāhasena na attānaṁ sukheti na pīṇeti na saṁvibhajati na puññāni karoti. (1)

3Idha pana, gahapati, ekacco kāmabhogī adhammena bhoge pariyesati sāhasena; adhammena bhoge pariyesitvā sāhasena attānaṁ sukheti pīṇeti, na saṁvibhajati na puññāni karoti. (2)

4Idha pana, gahapati, ekacco kāmabhogī adhammena bhoge pariyesati sāhasena; adhammena bhoge pariyesitvā sāhasena attānaṁ sukheti pīṇeti saṁvibhajati puññāni karoti. (3)

5Idha pana, gahapati, ekacco kāmabhogī dhammādhammena bhoge pariyesati sāhasenapi asāhasenapi; dhammādhammena bhoge pariyesitvā sāhasenapi asāhasenapi na attānaṁ sukheti na pīṇeti na saṁvibhajati na puññāni karoti. (4)

6Idha pana, gahapati, ekacco kāmabhogī dhammādhammena bhoge pariyesati sāhasenapi asāhasenapi; dhammādhammena bhoge pariyesitvā sāhasenapi asāhasenapi attānaṁ sukheti pīṇeti, na saṁvibhajati na puññāni karoti. (5)

7Idha pana, gahapati, ekacco kāmabhogī dhammādhammena bhoge pariyesati sāhasenapi asāhasenapi; dhammādhammena bhoge pariyesitvā sāhasenapi asāhasenapi attānaṁ sukheti pīṇeti saṁvibhajati puññāni karoti. (6)

8Idha pana, gahapati, ekacco kāmabhogī dhammena bhoge pariyesati asāhasena; dhammena bhoge pariyesitvā asāhasena na attānaṁ sukheti na pīṇeti na saṁvibhajati na puññāni karoti. (7)

9Idha pana, gahapati, ekacco kāmabhogī dhammena bhoge pariyesati asāhasena; dhammena bhoge pariyesitvā asāhasena attānaṁ sukheti pīṇeti, na saṁvibhajati na puññāni karoti. (8)

10Idha pana, gahapati, ekacco kāmabhogī dhammena bhoge pariyesati asāhasena; dhammena bhoge pariyesitvā asāhasena attānaṁ sukheti pīṇeti saṁvibhajati puññāni karoti. Te ca bhoge gathito mucchito ajjhosanno anādīnavadassāvī anissaraṇapañño paribhuñjati. (9)

11Idha pana, gahapati, ekacco kāmabhogī dhammena bhoge pariyesati asāhasena; dhammena bhoge pariyesitvā asāhasena attānaṁ sukheti pīṇeti saṁvibhajati puññāni karoti. Te ca bhoge agathito amucchito anajjhosanno ādīnavadassāvī nissaraṇapañño paribhuñjati. (10)

12Tatra, gahapati, yvāyaṁ kāmabhogī adhammena bhoge pariyesati sāhasena, adhammena bhoge pariyesitvā sāhasena na attānaṁ sukheti na pīṇeti na saṁvibhajati na puññāni karoti, ayaṁ, gahapati, kāmabhogī tīhi ṭhānehi gārayho. ‘Adhammena bhoge pariyesati sāhasenā’ti, iminā paṭhamena ṭhānena gārayho. ‘Na attānaṁ sukheti na pīṇetī’ti, iminā dutiyena ṭhānena gārayho. ‘Na saṁvibhajati na puññāni karotī’ti, iminā tatiyena ṭhānena gārayho. Ayaṁ, gahapati, kāmabhogī imehi tīhi ṭhānehi gārayho. (1)

13Tatra, gahapati, yvāyaṁ kāmabhogī adhammena bhoge pariyesati sāhasena, adhammena bhoge pariyesitvā sāhasena attānaṁ sukheti pīṇeti na saṁvibhajati na puññāni karoti, ayaṁ, gahapati, kāmabhogī dvīhi ṭhānehi gārayho ekena ṭhānena pāsaṁso. ‘Adhammena bhoge pariyesati sāhasenā’ti, iminā paṭhamena ṭhānena gārayho. ‘Attānaṁ sukheti pīṇetī’ti, iminā ekena ṭhānena pāsaṁso. ‘Na saṁvibhajati na puññāni karotī’ti iminā dutiyena ṭhānena gārayho. Ayaṁ, gahapati, kāmabhogī imehi dvīhi ṭhānehi gārayho iminā ekena ṭhānena pāsaṁso. (2)

14Tatra, gahapati, yvāyaṁ kāmabhogī adhammena bhoge pariyesati sāhasena, adhammena bhoge pariyesitvā sāhasena attānaṁ sukheti pīṇeti saṁvibhajati puññāni karoti, ayaṁ, gahapati, kāmabhogī ekena ṭhānena gārayho dvīhi ṭhānehi pāsaṁso. ‘Adhammena bhoge pariyesati sāhasenā’ti, iminā ekena ṭhānena gārayho. ‘Attānaṁ sukheti pīṇetī’ti, iminā paṭhamena ṭhānena pāsaṁso. ‘Saṁvibhajati puññāni karotī’ti, iminā dutiyena ṭhānena pāsaṁso. Ayaṁ, gahapati, kāmabhogī iminā ekena ṭhānena gārayho, imehi dvīhi ṭhānehi pāsaṁso. (3)

15Tatra, gahapati, yvāyaṁ kāmabhogī dhammādhammena bhoge pariyesati sāhasenapi asāhasenapi, dhammādhammena bhoge pariyesitvā sāhasenapi asāhasenapi na attānaṁ sukheti na pīṇeti na saṁvibhajati na puññāni karoti, ayaṁ, gahapati, kāmabhogī ekena ṭhānena pāsaṁso tīhi ṭhānehi gārayho. ‘Dhammena bhoge pariyesati asāhasenā’ti, iminā ekena ṭhānena pāsaṁso. ‘Adhammena bhoge pariyesati sāhasenā’ti, iminā paṭhamena ṭhānena gārayho. ‘Na attānaṁ sukheti na pīṇetī’ti, iminā dutiyena ṭhānena gārayho. ‘Na saṁvibhajati na puññāni karotī’ti, iminā tatiyena ṭhānena gārayho. Ayaṁ, gahapati, kāmabhogī iminā ekena ṭhānena pāsaṁso imehi tīhi ṭhānehi gārayho. (4)

16Tatra, gahapati, yvāyaṁ kāmabhogī dhammādhammena bhoge pariyesati sāhasenapi asāhasenapi, dhammādhammena bhoge pariyesitvā sāhasenapi asāhasenapi attānaṁ sukheti pīṇeti na saṁvibhajati na puññāni karoti, ayaṁ, gahapati, kāmabhogī dvīhi ṭhānehi pāsaṁso dvīhi ṭhānehi gārayho. ‘Dhammena bhoge pariyesati asāhasenā’ti, iminā paṭhamena ṭhānena pāsaṁso. ‘Adhammena bhoge pariyesati sāhasenā’ti, iminā paṭhamena ṭhānena gārayho. ‘Attānaṁ sukheti pīṇetī’ti, iminā dutiyena ṭhānena pāsaṁso. ‘Na saṁvibhajati na puññāni karotī’ti, iminā dutiyena ṭhānena gārayho. Ayaṁ, gahapati, kāmabhogī imehi dvīhi ṭhānehi pāsaṁso imehi dvīhi ṭhānehi gārayho. (5)

17Tatra, gahapati, yvāyaṁ kāmabhogī dhammādhammena bhoge pariyesati sāhasenapi asāhasenapi, dhammādhammena bhoge pariyesitvā sāhasenapi asāhasenapi attānaṁ sukheti pīṇeti saṁvibhajati puññāni karoti, ayaṁ, gahapati, kāmabhogī tīhi ṭhānehi pāsaṁso ekena ṭhānena gārayho. ‘Dhammena bhoge pariyesati asāhasenā’ti, iminā paṭhamena ṭhānena pāsaṁso. ‘Adhammena bhoge pariyesati sāhasenā’ti, iminā ekena ṭhānena gārayho. ‘Attānaṁ sukheti pīṇetī’ti, iminā dutiyena ṭhānena pāsaṁso. ‘Saṁvibhajati puññāni karotī’ti, iminā tatiyena ṭhānena pāsaṁso. Ayaṁ, gahapati, kāmabhogī imehi tīhi ṭhānehi pāsaṁso iminā ekena ṭhānena gārayho. (6)

18Tatra, gahapati, yvāyaṁ kāmabhogī dhammena bhoge pariyesati asāhasena, dhammena bhoge pariyesitvā asāhasena na attānaṁ sukheti na pīṇeti na saṁvibhajati na puññāni karoti, ayaṁ, gahapati, kāmabhogī ekena ṭhānena pāsaṁso dvīhi ṭhānehi gārayho. ‘Dhammena bhoge pariyesati asāhasenā’ti, iminā ekena ṭhānena pāsaṁso. ‘Na attānaṁ sukheti na pīṇetī’ti, iminā paṭhamena ṭhānena gārayho. ‘Na saṁvibhajati na puññāni karotī’ti, iminā dutiyena ṭhānena gārayho. Ayaṁ, gahapati, kāmabhogī iminā ekena ṭhānena pāsaṁso imehi dvīhi ṭhānehi gārayho. (7)

19Tatra, gahapati, yvāyaṁ kāmabhogī dhammena bhoge pariyesati asāhasena, dhammena bhoge pariyesitvā asāhasena attānaṁ sukheti pīṇeti na saṁvibhajati na puññāni karoti, ayaṁ, gahapati, kāmabhogī dvīhi ṭhānehi pāsaṁso ekena ṭhānena gārayho. ‘Dhammena bhoge pariyesati asāhasenā’ti, iminā paṭhamena ṭhānena pāsaṁso. ‘Attānaṁ sukheti pīṇetī’ti, iminā dutiyena ṭhānena pāsaṁso. ‘Na saṁvibhajati na puññāni karotī’ti iminā ekena ṭhānena gārayho. Ayaṁ, gahapati, kāmabhogī imehi dvīhi ṭhānehi pāsaṁso iminā ekena ṭhānena gārayho. (8)

20Tatra, gahapati yvāyaṁ kāmabhogī dhammena bhoge pariyesati asāhasena, dhammena bhoge pariyesitvā asāhasena attānaṁ sukheti pīṇeti saṁvibhajati puññāni karoti, te ca bhoge gathito mucchito ajjhosanno anādīnavadassāvī anissaraṇapañño paribhuñjati, ayaṁ, gahapati, kāmabhogī tīhi ṭhānehi pāsaṁso ekena ṭhānena gārayho. ‘Dhammena bhoge pariyesati asāhasenā’ti, iminā paṭhamena ṭhānena pāsaṁso. ‘Attānaṁ sukheti pīṇetī’ti, iminā dutiyena ṭhānena pāsaṁso. ‘Saṁvibhajati puññāni karotī’ti, iminā tatiyena ṭhānena pāsaṁso. ‘Te ca bhoge gathito mucchito ajjhosanno anādīnavadassāvī anissaraṇapañño paribhuñjatī’ti, iminā ekena ṭhānena gārayho. Ayaṁ, gahapati, kāmabhogī imehi tīhi ṭhānehi pāsaṁso iminā ekena ṭhānena gārayho. (9)

21Tatra, gahapati, yvāyaṁ kāmabhogī dhammena bhoge pariyesati asāhasena, dhammena bhoge pariyesitvā asāhasena attānaṁ sukheti pīṇeti saṁvibhajati puññāni karoti, te ca bhoge agathito amucchito anajjhosanno ādīnavadassāvī nissaraṇapañño paribhuñjati, ayaṁ, gahapati, kāmabhogī catūhi ṭhānehi pāsaṁso. ‘Dhammena bhoge pariyesati asāhasenā’ti, iminā paṭhamena ṭhānena pāsaṁso. ‘Attānaṁ sukheti pīṇetī’ti, iminā dutiyena ṭhānena pāsaṁso. ‘Saṁvibhajati puññāni karotī’ti, iminā tatiyena ṭhānena pāsaṁso. ‘Te ca bhoge agathito amucchito anajjhosanno ādīnavadassāvī nissaraṇapañño paribhuñjatī’ti, iminā catutthena ṭhānena pāsaṁso. Ayaṁ, gahapati, kāmabhogī imehi catūhi ṭhānehi pāsaṁso. (10)

22Ime kho, gahapati, dasa kāmabhogī santo saṁvijjamānā lokasmiṁ. Imesaṁ kho, gahapati, dasannaṁ kāmabhogīnaṁ yvāyaṁ kāmabhogī dhammena bhoge pariyesati asāhasena, dhammena bhoge pariyesitvā asāhasena attānaṁ sukheti pīṇeti saṁvibhajati puññāni karoti, te ca bhoge agathito amucchito anajjhosanno ādīnavadassāvī nissaraṇapañño paribhuñjati, ayaṁ imesaṁ dasannaṁ kāmabhogīnaṁ aggo ca seṭṭho ca pāmokkho ca uttamo ca pavaro ca. Seyyathāpi, gahapati, gavā khīraṁ, khīramhā dadhi, dadhimhā navanītaṁ, navanītamhā sappi, sappimhā sappimaṇḍo. Sappimaṇḍo tattha aggamakkhāyati.


23Evamevaṁ kho, gahapati, imesaṁ dasannaṁ kāmabhogīnaṁ yvāyaṁ kāmabhogī dhammena bhoge pariyesati asāhasena, dhammena bhoge pariyesitvā asāhasena attānaṁ sukheti pīṇeti saṁvibhajati puññāni karoti, te ca bhoge agathito amucchito anajjhosanno ādīnavadassāvī nissaraṇapañño paribhuñjati, ayaṁ imesaṁ dasannaṁ kāmabhogīnaṁ aggo ca seṭṭho ca pāmokkho ca uttamo ca pavaro cā"ti.

Paṭhamaṁ.